Fortescue Metals Group under investigation after safety incidents at its Solomon Hub mine

Updated
Thu 16 Jan 2014, 6:44 PM AEDT

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The Firetail mine is part of FMG's Solomon Hub, located 60km north of Tom Price in the Pilbara.

ABC News: Kathryn Diss

The Department of Mines and Petroleum is investigating three incidents involving worker safety at a Fortescue Metals Group mine.

It is understood the incidents occurred last week at FMG's Solomon Hub mine in the Pilbara.

The ABC understands one worker was injured by a forklift, while in a separate incident a water truck rolled over, leaving the driver with a minor injury.

In a third incident, three people were believed to have been in an exclusion zone while a blast operation was under way.

The department's Executive Director of Mines Safety Simon Ridge says if the agency identifies any shortcomings in regard to the incidents, appropriate enforcement action will be taken.

The reports come at a tumultuous time for the miner, with two deaths at its Christmas Creek mine last year and another serious incident in which a contractor had his leg amputated following a truck crash.

FMG chief executive officer Nev Power said in a statement that no on a Fortescue site is asked to do anything that compromises safety.

"We are working to ensure our systems are as effective as possible in keeping people safe and that each of the 10,000 people working for and with Fortescue understand that the health and safety of our people is our highest priority," he said.